Bait and Tackle

Ragworm

rag1 rag2

Ragworm is readily available from all tackle shops and are generally brought by weight and relatively inexpensive, and can be dug at certain venues.

A nasty pair of pincers at the head end can give a nasty nip so beware!!

Mounted singly on a small wire hook they are one of the preferred bait for flattie anglers often tipped with Mackerel/Squid for extra attraction. Most fish will be attracted to a single worm bottom fished or float fished for Pollock or Wrasse. They can also be bunched for larger predatory species.

One damaged/skewered lug may infect the others you have so remove any which are damaged.

Handling these can cause a caustic type reaction known as Ragworm finger where your fingers may become irritated by the chemical make up of the worm.

Razor Fish/Clams

razor1 razor2

Razor fish is not over used in Torbay to my knowledge, but is big in certain areas of the UK. It is used for bass and other predatory fish.

You will have often seen the shells on the beach.

Approx 1998 on Broadsands an exceptionally low neap tide on a warm summers day saw the beach in mayhem as the tide reached the bottom razors in their hundreds popped up and were trodden on by people in the sea, their feet were cut by the fine shell edge which earns their name and the beach was awash with injured tourists St Johns Ambulance, and the ambulance services. Attack of the Killer Razor fish I think was the Herald Expresses headline.

A delicacy in France and can be fried by removing the foot part and apparently taste like bacon.

Razor fish can be brought frozen or can be collected in the following ways. In all cases look for a keyhole in the sand at low water and use one of the following methods.

Salting – tip a generous quantity of Salt into the hole and the Razor fish will pop out onto the beach if not fully out of the sand grab hold firmly and gently pull out from the sand. I have personally tried this method with minimal success at Broadsands.

Spearing – find a hole and spear with a fine pointed barbed spear. I have personally tried this method with no success at Broadsands.

Digging – find a Razor hole and press the edge of your spade onto the surface of the beach and walk backwards firmly pressing the sand with your spade, making a trail of depressed sand in your wake, when you see a squirt of water dig like crazy and get your prize. I have personally tried this method with minimal success at Broadsands.

Pick em up!! – By far the easiest, wait till a big blow and go to any beach at low water (spring Neaps are the best) pick them up from the beach and fish in the surf for Bass there and then.

Peeler Crab

Peeler crab is the king of baits, and will attract all bottom dwelling fish as well as predatory; quite often the larger of the species will be attracted to its juicy body.

Costing as much as 70p each they are not cheap and should provide 2 or 3 baits if you use the legs/claws per crab, if cut and sliced as mentioned below.

Peeling occurs as crabs grow and shed their shell, at this time the crab is full of attractive juices.

Check a crab is a peeler by gently twisting and pulling an end leg segment, if it comes away cleanly showing a tender leg beneath you have a peeler, also the back shell will be seen to be lifting away near its bum!!.

Preparation is everything with this bait, pictures will follow but basically remove the legs but do not discard, remove the top and side shells, remove lungs (believed to put fish off as toxic) using a SHARP knife cut the peeler in half between the eyes and across the back in one movement, if you saw the crab or use a blunt knife the juice will spill and render the bait next to useless.

Mount on a short shanked hook, entry point at the rear leg socket, twist the hook and exit at the 4^th socket then fold over the flesh to make a compact ‘bomb’, this should suffice for short casts but for long casting shearing elastic is essential.

Remember those legs? They too can be peeled by gently twisting and pulling from the end joint and working your way up the leg, this applies to the claws also. The Leg/Claw combination can be used to make additional bait, try hiding the hook on a half peeler bait by slipping a leg over the end of your hook ensuring the hook point is disguised but not masked.

Lugworm

lug1 lug2

Lugworm is readily available from all tackle shops. They are generally brought by weight and relatively inexpensive, and can be dug at certain venues.

Mounted singly on a small wire hook they are one of the preferred bait for Flattie anglers often tipped with Mackerel/Squid for extra attraction. Most fish will be attracted to a single worm bottom fished or float fished for Pollock or Wrasse. They can also be bunched for larger predatory species.

As well as being brought by weight from tackle shops. They can be easily dug at various locations, providing free bait. I dig at Broadsands beach at low water look for 2 holes (one in and one out) one having a cast (looks like a pooh mound) opposite each other approx 6-9 inches apart and dig down parallel to these, 1 spit is usually enough by sometimes you will need to go down a little further.

diagram1

Many thanks to Putty, Dr Sheff, Phil Jays, Mackie_basher07, Nemesis_SLR and everyone else who contributes to the continuing success of this website.

Site Map